Secrets of the Heart
by wicked.faith10
Summary: When a new CSI joins the team and brings with her secrets from the past, the team will be hard pressed not to get involved. In fact, they may be the difference between the new kid and her death. Chapter 5 now up!. R&R please!
1. Unexpected Memories

Three months, two weeks and four days since the rookie had signed on to the team, and it felt as if everyone was keeping a close eye on the time span. The 'New Kid' as they all liked to call their new colleague was, in fact, quite young to already be so far ahead in the game. It seemed as if she had been fresh out of the academy when the young, yet brilliant Breckin Ashmore had been called up to the big bad world of Crime Scene Investigation. She had been met with more than a little resentment by some of the team, mainly because she skipped right over rookie days as a patrol officer and landed straight into the investigators squad. Ryan was especially resentful of this fact, as it had taken him years to even land a meeting with Horatio and Breckin was brought right in. The everlasting rumor was that her father's long standing clout had surpassed her resume before other qualified candidates. This would be a major set back in Breckin's work if the girl wasn't actually good at her job.

Sadly, Breckin was incredibly aware of the whispers and looks that followed her throughout the lab. She had remained resilient, keeping thoughts to herself, voicing facts and facsimiles when needed, and doing her work quickly and efficiently before booking it. The young twenty-two year old didn't socialize other than what needed to be done. She honestly felt ostracized from the group and was already thinking about putting in for a transfer. That was until she got a call today. Multiple homicide in the Greenwood Condos Community, her old residence from last year. A couple had been brutally murdered last night and displayed outside on their balcony for the world to see. A horrified neighbor had called it in and Horatio Caine, Breckin's boss had put the whole team on the case.

Pulling up to 314 Greenwood Drive, Breckin put her gold hummer in park and took a moment. This was all too familiar to her. Just last summer she had swam in the pool to her right, had hosted parties in the patio now covered with crime scene tape and police officers. She'd even planted the large garden that was being trampled through in an effort to get into the home by those at the scene. This was all just too surreal for her. Who knows? Had she stayed in the same home, would she be the one in the hands of the medical examiner? Just then, a tap on her window made the young woman jump and she looked over in shock. Opening her door to one of her teammates, Eric Delko, Breckin gave him a small smile. "Sorry. Drifted off a little." She hopped out of the vehicle and grabbed her kit from the back. Eric waited on her and then they walked up the drive together.

"Calleigh and Natalya are covering the balcony which means you and I have the pool area. Ryan's inside with H." Delko told her, matter-of-factly. The pool area was larger than the other surrounding homes. Partially why Breckin had picked it, and it was also more secluded, pushed towards the back of the entire complex. Privacy was important, especially to a young single woman in Miami.

Breckin nodded, "Sure. What do you need me to do?" She had never taken point on an investigation, and had never expected to, at least not in her first year. There was enough bias against her without having the biggest case of the year on her shoulders as well. Breckin looked up at her coworker who was surveying the area. She stood at a measly five feet, four inches, shorter than most of the other members of the team. Her height just armored them with loads more nicknames towards her.

"Well, looks like there's some trace in the pool so rookie gets to go diving." Delko nodded towards his hummer behind them were the wet suits were waiting. Breckin was used to doing grunt work, it was always a right of passage for the newbie. The grossest or most undesirable tasks were brushed off onto them. However, she had found these tasks also reveal the most groundbreaking evidence of a case. Letting out a deep sigh, Breckin set her kit down and headed towards the vehicle. It only took a few moments to strap herself into the suit and grab the oxygen tank. She'd spent her summers growing up on a yacht or in Australia so scuba diving was not a stranger to her. Sitting on the edge of the pool, she listened as her partner explained what they were looking for. It was the same things each time, she practically knew them by heart.

Her dive only lasted about an hour with minimal results. A simple shell casing too scratched up to really get anything from, and a necklace. The simple gold chain and round locket entranced her slightly. Breckin allowed her gloved hands to run over the smooth surface, finding the latch against the side. Before she could open it, a voice called behind her and Breckin turned to see a pretty blond woman staring at her.

Calleigh Duquesne always had a serious look about her while working. Crime scenes were delicate, and precision was warranted. Calleigh respected this outlook, however her co-workers could catch a smile across her lips every once and a while. Today would not be one of those days. Two people, a young couple, had been murdered. Throats slit only after a round of torture, their bodies displayed so that the world could see. Calleigh had seen some pretty disturbing things, but this was just completely inhuman.

"Breckin?" She called again, her words finally getting through to the younger girl, "You with us, Breckin?" A look of concern flexed across her face momentarily until the young CSI looked up in acknowledgment.

"Sorry," Breckin replied, shaking her head and pushing certain bad feelings into the back of her mind. "This necklace just looked familiar. A locket, I think. Depending on how long its been in the pool, it might still have a viewable picture inside." She held the locket up to Calleigh for a moment before she stuck it in an evidence bag and handed it to the young officer beside her with a box. Calleigh noticed the young man's eyes lingering on the young CSI as she stripped off the diving suit to reveal a pair of spandex shorts and a tank top beneath. When she cleared her throat and gave the officer a pointed look, his gaze drifted towards the ground, abashed and he turned to put the evidence in Breckin's hummer.

"Well it looks like you've got an admirer." Calleigh told her as she walked a bit closer, surveying the emptying pool. Breckin gave her a confused look and the older woman turned partially and looked towards the officer loading the hummer.

Breckin shrugged slightly and looked down. She had been aware of the flirtatious advances of the young officer, but she had never paid it any attention. For Breckin, the workplace was just that: a place to work. Though, silently in her head, she had to admit the young Officer Lange was quite a cutie. Instead of dwelling on the cute officer, she turned back to Calleigh, her eyes only slightly glancing up at the balcony where the M.E. was finally putting the deceased into body bags. "I, uh, I think I've done all I can here. Delko told me to sift the pool and then he disappeared. There was a contact lens in the filter and that locket might have something to it. You mind?"

Registering the awkward tone in her colleagues voice, Calleigh didn't antagonize it further. She simple nodded, a look of concern washing over her. True, it had been a rocky transition when the new CSI had been brought in, but that didn't mean she hadn't proven herself time and time again. Truth was, Breckin Ashmore was quite intelligent, incredibly thorough, and quick. Her work was exemplary, first rate really, which fit in nicely with the team. Socially, however, things had been rocky. Breckin wasn't widely accepted in the beginning, but people had started to grow open to the idea of such a young girl being part of the team. It was just hard to get close to her.

"Yeah, sure," Calleigh gave her a smile, "Go ahead. Ryan and I can finish here with Delko. Tell Horatio we're on our way, alright?"

Breckin nodded and slowly walked towards her hummer. She couldn't bring herself to look back at the house. It was too similar, too close to her. Breckin had lived there not too long ago, she had hosted parties, entertained friends and boyfriends, even her parents had joined her for Thanksgiving once. It was only last year she had occupied that same condo. It was just too close to home. Breckin just needed to see that locket again. It was so familiar, something from a dream or her imagination maybe. She would figure out what it was that was nagging at her mind, and then she'd decide whether or not to come clean about her connection.


	2. Building Blocks

The lab was like home, as were so many before it. Since she had graduated from college, Breckin had shuffled from one crime lab to another, never making it more than six months to a year in one place. Moving around was just normal for her, and in truth her parents had never been happy with any place she decided to work. They never would be, honestly. Breckin's mother and father were under the impression their daughter's career in civil service was not as high as their aspirations for her. A point they had managed to make time and time again. By now, however, their daughter had grown so used to just blocking out the conversation when it drifted towards her work. This lab, the Dade County crime lab in Miami felt more normal to Breckin than any other lab she had worked at. Despite the tensions, the people were nice, her boss encouraged her in her work and her parents didn't visit her as often because of the humidity. Breckin felt blissful here. That was, until today.

The lab's parking lot was always crowded, always full of all sorts of city-owned vehicles and very few personal ones. Breckin hadn't even gotten her own parking spot yet, but had been told it was on the books. Not that she minded, really. Her whole life, Breckin had grown up with special treatment, despite whatever she earned for herself. A parking spot was the least of her worries and quite frankly a stupid idea to begin with. The only reason, it seemed, the CSI's had parking spaces was because of the huge hummer's they drove. Putting her vehicle in park for the second time that day, Breckin grabbed her camera bag, her overnight bag and the evidence box from the trunk. Even with her hands full, she managed to move gracefully across the cement and painted lines, avoiding the arrested and the tearful as she entered the lab. Horatio Caine, her boss, met her at the door.

"Miss Ashmore," His voice was low and bled seriousness, like it always did. His sunglasses twisted in his hands, a move H only made when he was angered or a case hit a little too close to home. Apparently this was going to be one of those cases that H just got too attached to. "Miss Ashmore, is that the evidence from Greenwood Drive?" There was a twinge of urgency Breckin detected as well as her boss spoke.

Without uttering a word, she nodded in response as she shifted the box's weight in her arms. All she really wanted to do right now was take a shower and rinse the ugly pool odor from her hair and skin. Some people really did tend to put way too much chlorine in their personal pools. Her eyes glanced down the hall and caught a glimpse of Natalia Boa Vista chatting on her cellphone with a folder in her free hand, most likely talking about the case. She too must have just gotten back from the crime scene as she was still on the ground floor and the labs started at least on floor three. As Horatio began to speak again, Breckin snapped her eyes and attention back towards him.

"Miss Ashmore I'm going to have you catalog everything and take samples of any fibers or DNA that you find right away. We want to get a lead as soon as possible so this doesn't happen again, right?" Again, Breckin answered with a silent nod, and before the man could speak another word, she turned and ran towards the elevator Natalia had just entered. The older woman held the door gladly as she waited and even offered Breckin a large smile as the two stood side by side on the ride up.

Breckin stayed quiet. Silence seemed to be her ally, her defense in an awkward situation. She had always been under the impression her colleagues loathed her because of her young age and quick ascent through the ranks. Workplace conversation had started out with the minimum of a morning greeting and then only case chatter. Never anything personal and never anything too friendly with the prospect of getting close to the rookie. Breckin had accepted this openly and remedied herself to the fact it would never change. So when the team members began to warm up to her and actually appreciate her work, and the conversations started to switch tact, Breckin found herself lost socially. So, silence had become golden. And if at that moment silence would be considered rude, she acted as if she were completely immersed in whatever task she was doing. An elementary approach, but still very effective.

"You, uh, want any help cataloging?" Natalia finally gave up on conversing and switched topics back to the case. They were nearly at their floor and Breckin weighed the options, as she always did. If Natalia helped catalog the evidence, then Brecks could be free to run some tests and swab the necklace by herself. If she did it herself, alone, Brecks would have to rely on Valera to work the necklace and anything found would be brought to Horatio's attention without Breckin's knowledge. So, as she did not like to be blindsided, Breckin looked up at Natalia, her neck straining somewhat to see the other woman's taller stance, and she nodded.

"Yeah, actually, there's a piece in here I'd really like to get working on. I think it could point us at least in a direction," Breckin relayed, keeping her awkwardness to a minimum on both the locket and the elevator ride, "If you wouldn't mind starting on the rest?"

All Breckin could pull out of the agreement was that the younger your face looks when you plead with someone or ask someone to do a favor, the better chance you have with the puppy dog eyed look. That, and from what Breckin could decipher, Boa Vista herself had trouble gaining trust and confidence when she had first joined the team as well. If anyone, she understood the need to maybe one up the rest just so they'd ease off the scrutiny. So, in true favor fashion, Natalia took the rest of the evidence to one of the main labs while Breckin, her overnight bag and camera bag headed towards the showers in the womens locker room. It was odd to have them on hand, she supposed, like a police station but nicer. Separate stalls for showering, spotless floors and plenty of warm water. Truth be told, if Breckin didn't have such a nice apartment now, she'd probably live in the lab.

Peering around the corner, Breckin checked the vicinity, praying it would be empty. The last thing she needed was another encounter. Rolling her eyes in ridicule, Breckin mentally scolded herself. For as much as she wished to fit in, she sure acted antisocial. Her conscious began to weigh in as she undressed. Growing up the way she did, the daughter of a United States Senator from the great state of New York, Breckin was used to privacy. In fact, it was those few short years with her parents they had insisted on privacy and, like the overnight bag, it all just became habit. It was the link back to her youth that jogged Breckin's memory. Like a jolt of energy running through her body, or like the shock you get from a bad wall plug, the memories from her past began to flood her brain. Each droplet of water from the shower head brought a new revelation, and each revelation revealed something about that damn locket. With the end of her shower came the beginning of her panic.

a b a b a

a b a b a

Calleigh Duquesne sat at the computer in her lab sifting through phone records of the dead couple. Phone records, credit cards, everything had to be analyzed in order for progress to be obtained. To Calleigh it was just another step to solving the puzzle, and this was a very complicated puzzle. Amanda Ravello and her boyfriend Peter Cross appeared to be the victims, killed by having their throats slit but there was a ton of torturing done before that. There was a level of brutality in this murder that the team hadn't witnessed in years. It seemed to be a sheer random pick when it came to victims and nearly no trace of an attacker had been recovered so far. As she eliminated phone calls that had harmless connections, the door opened and Eric emerged from the other side. With a glance up from her computer screen, Calleigh flashed him a smile.

There was no denying the two had some passionate tension between them. Ever since the case involving Eric's psychiatrist, Calleigh had become acutely aware of the intensity when her colleague was around. The concentrated looks, the consuming talks, they were all beginning to weigh the protection around her heart down. She'd become open to the possibility of seeing Eric in a romantic light. The only thing holding her back was her past boyfriend record. None of those relationships had ended well and those only added to caution for any woman. Was she crazy to be so guarded with the man who had proven he cared for her time and time again?

For Eric Delko it was a different fear all together that drove him. All he wanted was a chance, but his fear of ruining the best friendship he ever had prevented him from acting on his emotions. His first reason for entering the lab was to go over some fingerprint evidence but when she smiled at him, it changed his mood. The day had started out drab, sadly, with the double homicide, but when Calleigh smiled at him something just melted away. The little crinkle that formed at the corners of her lips, the way her eyes narrowed just slightly with the lift of her cheeks. To see that face daily, alone, made his job worth it. When Calleigh's eyes flickered back to the screen at hand,he shook his head and regained his thoughts. Despite what he felt towards her, they had a job to do and Calleigh was all about the case solving.

"Hey, you about done in here?" He tried desperately not to sound like he was hurrying her along, or trying to shuffle her out, "I just have some fingerprints I need to cross and compare and Valera is dominating the lab." His half chuckle didn't last long, but his sheepish grin did. Eric felt like an adolescent child again, confused and intrigued by girls all at the same time.

"Yeah, sure." Calleigh looked up, "I'm almost done. I think this was a random hit, Eric. Amanda and Peter hadn't lived in that condo for more than six months, and before that it was empty for a few months. How many enemies can you make in half a year?"

Eric chuckled once again and took a seat next to her. "That is why," He began as his fingers took hold over the keyboard. For a moment, his fingers overlapped hers and she felt him linger a second too long but was reluctant to move away. Eric brought up the fingerprint database and began bringing up the case file. "I want to run fingerprints. Greenwood Condos requires background checks for all possible tenants, which means each of them will be in the county's system. All we have to do is run them."

Again that smile cropped up on her face. Calleigh leaned back in her chair and watched as the database scrolled through the entries. The folder of phone records lay open on the desk in front of her and with her peripheral vision, she viewed it. Her green eyes caught sight of something familiar almost the same time the computer came up with a match. "Eric..." Her tone was full of surprise as she picked up the folder. "Eric, this is a CSI cell number. The newest one issued. That's Breckin's phone number."

"Yeah, well you aren't going to like the prints that just popped up either." The face that had pulled up with the prints was all too recognizable. The same long brown hair, the same rounded face and thin nose. Her eyes were as piercing as ever with the blue icelike glow they seemed to give off, not to mention her smile. That big, beautiful childlike smile that showed off her pearly white teeth in her ID tag photo. Breckin Ashmore seemed to have turned up in the wrong place not only once, but twice. Eric and Calleigh had no choice but to find Horatio and fill him in. If Breckin had any ties to this case, H had to know.

The walk was almost one of shame as Calleigh and Eric, files in hand, headed for Horatio's office. They didn't know what to think of any of this new information. Was it sheer coincidence Breckin's name was popping up twice in their investigation? Whats more, did Breckin even realize her connection? Puzzling as it was, Eric couldn't help but wonder why Breckin's prints were all over the balcony railing and why was her phone number popping up on the incoming calls? Was she really dumb enough to try and hide something from them? The questions flooded his mind, but each threaded to a stop when he saw Horatio.

"Eric, Calleigh," His eyes caught hold of the files his employees held and immediately he took a stance and removed his glasses, as was his signature move. "What do you have for me?"

The look both of the young CSI's gave him did not ease his mind at all. One by one, they told him their findings, showed their papers to back it up further. The whole time their faces showed they didn't want to believe what had just came across. So new to the team and already she was bringing suspicion into the game. "Are you absolutely sure about this?" Horatio asked them pointedly.

"Of course they are," a voice came from behind. Calleigh and Eric turned and came face to face with the newest member. She was newly dressed in a pair of black pressed suit pants and light blue sweater that matched her eyes near perfectly which was only enhanced by her white lab coat. Her hair was loose and hung down her back, near reaching the middle and her arm was outstretched to them. When she opened her fisted hand, the locket dangled down in front of them, the chain wrapped around her middle finger. "And they're right too. This locket is mine, the only problem is, I lost it when I was still in boarding school when I was thirteen. I only lived in that condo for six months when I first came to Miami last year." Her voice was steady, calm and assertive. All qualities the team had learned to appreciate of Breckin. The evidence against her notwithstanding, everyone working at that lab knew they could trust the girl, she had proven that thus far. But how well did any of them really know her?

Staying true to form, Horatio placed his glasses firmly on his head and walked through the parted CSI's and towards the dangling necklace, "Then it looks like we're going to have to get to know you a little bit better, Miss Ashmore, aren't we?"


	3. Secrets Revealed

Delving into one's past is always a tricky thing. No one understands fully the effects of someone else's past on their present. The past shapes our present, this fact has never been disputed. In fact, its been proven time and time again. For Breckin Ashmore, this was all too true. Since she was born, Breckin had been daughter of a United States Senator. Senator Anthony Ashmore was nothing if not a doting father and spectacular Senator for the great state of New York. Thanks to always being part of the public world where every move would be scrutinized, Breckin had become accustomed to not sharing, and hiding. No one was exempt from the habits Breckin had picked up, especially her coworkers. So one wouldn't be surprised to see that sharing some of the most private events of her past was incredibly hard for Breckin to do.

Even now, as she stared into the faces of the people she worked with, Breckin only wanted to tell them the little they had to know. The number one rule for people like her was never get too close, and yet in order to solve a case she was going to have to disclose everything. For such a young woman, her past read like that of a thirty year old and with enough secrets to back it up. As her eyes scanned the room, she took note of the expressions each of the people in it. She noted the disappointment in some, worry in others, sheer intrigue in almost everyone. Reading people was always part of the job. It helped show who was lying, who looked suspicious, and right now Breckin looked like both.

"So this necklace is yours, but you haven't seen it in nine years?" Natalia asked her, almost scrutinizing the validity of her story. Breckin nodded in response, crossing her legs in the chair that she sat in opposite the rest.

"And somehow it just shows up at a murder scene?" Ryan added next, "That's one hell of a coincidence, Breckin."

Again, she nodded, "I know," Her voice was small, for once while working in the lab, "Look, I know that a lot of people think I've only reached my goals because of my parents influence. That's something I'll always have to live with and I'm fine with that. What people don't understand are the threats against you when you are the only child of a prominent and influential government leader." Her contempt for her past life and status was obvious enough. Of all children placed in the upscale spotlight, Breckin had always been one to avoid it as much as possible. The more she accomplished, the more people wanted to know about her, and the more she pushed away from the news the more she was pursued.

"We know about your past," Eric spoke this time. Because of her father's influence in immigration and stances on government alliances overseas, Breckin had been the target of many kidnap attempts and assassination attempts on her family. All of this had happened when the girl was relatively young, though.

"Yeah, well there's some scary stuff my parents managed to sweep under the rug at my bequest," Breckin told him sharply. Her tone came off a bit more defensively than she had intended. Breckin was so used to having to defend her past, she sometimes misplaced when people were taking shots at her or just stating a fact. With an apologetic look she continued, "The letters started coming in when I was ten. They were harmless at first, just simple admirations, but then they started getting threatening. There were pictures of me, comments about my private schedules, intimate facts about my daily life. It didn't take long to figure I had a stalker."

"And how exactly does that fit in with the necklace?" Calleigh asked her, she held the bagged evidence in her hand, turning it gently over and over again between her fingers.

"I lost it. I always thought it happened in one of the moves between England and the US. Just got lost in one of the shuffles, but now I'm not too sure. Too many things connect to me in this investigation." Her eyes fell on the necklace, staring at it like it had entranced her, hypnotized her even.

Horatio stopped his pacing and turned to face her finally. The one man she had interviewed with who didn't see a Senator's daughter or a reckless kid. He hadn't seen her as a prodigy child either, for how young she accomplished certain life goals. Horatio had only seen a hardworking and dedicated CSI with a penchant for doing good. He was the one person she feared letting down, the one person she couldn't stand to disappoint. In the short time she had actually known him, Horatio Caine had been more like a father to her than anyone else in her entire life. So it hurt all the more when his eyes boar into hers, his face harder to read than Ryan's. "We're going to need everything, Breckin, and I mean everything. Starting with why none of this showed up in your background check or during your interview process. For now I want you to go home. I'll send someone to come and talk to you, but for right now that necklace ties you to our case."

Breckin nodded. She understood fully what this meant. If IAB found out about this, the lab would pull in more scrutiny than ever before. To save the lab, she could at least make a phone call to her father, but her own career would be toast. The last thing she wanted was to put any body's job in jeopardy. Turning, with her shoulders slumped and her head low, Breckin walked away from the room. Maybe they were all right, the whispers and comments, not only from Miami but her previous jobs too. Maybe she was just a silly kid in way over her head? Avoiding eye contact, Breckin walked straight to the locker room once again and grabbed her duffel. Putting most of the possessions from her locker into it, she slung the long strap over her shoulder and headed out. They were all standing outside the conference room now, lining the hallway as if forming a walk of shame just for her. Breckin took a deep breath and with her shoulders squared, she walked straight towards the elevator. Some of the looks were sad, others sympathized. It wasn't like she was the only one who had been in this kind of situation before. Breckin knew about everyone's files. Everyone who occupied this lab had been in a spot of trouble at one time or another, but it seemed to hit twice as hard when you're the new kid. Inside the elevator, she turned to face the doors, and as they closed, her head looked up towards the group and she had to blink a tear back.

For some reason or another, Breckin had always allowed herself to feel more guilt than was necessary. It was like her token back to those who had never had her privileges in life. If any normal sixteen year old had wrecked their car, sure they would feel bad. They would apologize and deal with the consequences. When sixteen year old Breckin totaled her first car, her father took care of everything. Breckin never had to apologize, and yet she beat herself up over it for years. Even to her, life wasn't fair. Advantages. Everything came down to advantages. And as the elevator doors opened on the underground parking, someone else had the advantage over Breckin.


	4. Interrupted Moments

As soon as Breckin had left the interview room, Calleigh stood up. It was odd, her whole story. She found it very hard to believe there was a whole life of Breckin Ashmore no one knew about. With all the news stations and tabloids out there, someone would have noticed a stalker. Even so, if Breckin's story was true, there would be a paper trail somewhere and they would find it. Her attention was stuck to the locket. The only good part about Breckin handling what would have been some crucial evidence was that thanks to the chlorine and pool water, nothing on the locket would be useful to the case except for its origin. But how it got there, that would be a different story. Taking it from the bag, Calleigh set the locket on the glass table before her.

It was a beautiful piece, that much she could admit. Silver, probably good quality, with a simple design etched into the main oval of the locket. The clasp wasn't hard to work really, just stiff from the water. Calleigh struggled for a moment but finally it gave way and the oval opened up. On the inside there was a picture of Breckin's mother holding a young girl one could only assume was Breckin herself. They were standing in the split trunk of a tree in a yard somewhere. The two trunks forming a 'Y' as they branched out from the main one. Breckin couldn't have been older than five in this photo, her hair was just as long as it was now and pulled into an elaborate french braid down her back. It was a side of Breckin Calleigh had yet to see. The adventurous, fun seeking side, or at the very least, happiness.

A knock at the lab door startled her into the present and Calleigh turned to see Delko standing there in his lab coat. His face was stuck into a smile as he watched her hands move delicately along the silver chain. "Find anything useful? Valera said Brecks was running every test possible on that thing before she came to find us."

Calleigh shook her head, "She was right. There's nothing useful with this, only that it was there. Unfortunately, no one knows why it was there, or how it got there." There was a long enough pause where Calleigh pondered the validity of the story spun. Her head tilted to the side slightly, she raised an eyebrow inquisitively and looked back towards Eric, "Do you think she was truthful?"

His response was instant and without doubt, "Yes." Eric's trust was a hard thing to earn, but once it was, you knew you were safe with him. That's how Calleigh felt the first time she ever met him. Somehow, she just knew they'd be great friends one day. Now he was showing the same confidence in Breckin that he had in Calleigh on her first day, and who was she to question his judgment. Deep down, they all knew Brecks wasn't a bad person. If anything, she was probably one of the best out of them all. With all the opportunities thrown her way, all the possibility of following in her father's footsteps and she chooses to pursue civil service with a mediocre pay rate and the possibility of being killed while on duty. Selfless was the only way Calleigh could think to describe the girl.

"I just don't get it. If she had a stalker all those years ago, why would it matter now? For all we know someone found the locket and was trying to get it back to her but didn't have her new address."

She was frustrated. That much Eric could tell easily. After working for so many years with the woman, he knew her moods like the back of his hand. Calleigh only got this way when someone close was in trouble and she could do nothing to help. It wouldn't be long until she started taking her lunch break at the firing range to relieve some pressure. That was Calleigh though. True to her southern roots where almost any problem could be fixed by firing a gun into either an animal or a target on a range. And Calleigh did love her guns.

With a smile, Eric walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, peering down into her pure green eyes. "Listen," He said with nothing but sheer confidence, "Any way that the Kid is related to this case isn't going to place her as the murderer or the instigator. She's a good kid and we all know that. We're going to prove that, okay?"

Looking up into his eyes, Calleigh knew he was right. It switched, sometimes, which one was going to be the rational thinker for the two, and today seemed to be Eric's turn. "You're right, I know you are. I just wish --" An alarm hastily interrupted the last of her words as it blared throughout the entire building. With a confused look facing one another, Eric and Calleigh stepped outside of the secluded lab and looked around the floor. There were no chemical explosions, no gunmen in masks or other intruders, no fires of any kind so why were the alarms going off? A sudden popping from outside turned their attentions as Eric and Calleigh along with Ryan ran towards the front desk. On the second story, they were too far from the main level to be of any use, but the security cameras would show them something from the monitors. When they reached the desk, Natalia was already standing there with Horatio, a solemn look on her face.

"H, what happened?" Eric asked as he peered over the desk to look at the screens.

"Its Breckin," Natalia answered first, "A guy grabbed her as she was getting out of the elevator in the parking garage. He shot the guard at the booth on the way out with Brecks handcuffed in the back seat."

Eric's hand came down hard on the counter of the desk, creating a loud slapping sound that echoed through the halls. His anger was evident, but his worry was beginning to show through just a little more. None of them had gotten overly close to Breckin since she started working here, but that was only because she was new. She was still one of their team and in a delicate situation, they left her unguarded and unprotected. It was a rookie mistake, one he hated making.

"Eric, we all feel the same way, but we need to stay calm and work this through. Starting with trace down in the garage. Grab your kits." Horatio told them, "I'm going down to see if we have a picture of our kidnapper on camera."

As Horatio turned to walk away, Calleigh looked up at Eric, her hands taking hold of his hips in a semi-hug type fashion, "Look at me, Eric," She waited until his eyes were resting on hers before she continued, "Breckin is a smart girl. She knows how to stay alive, and we're going to find her. Everything will work out."

All Eric could do was nod and turn away to collect his forensics kit. Breckin _was _smart, and she would most likely have left them a clue somewhere. If nothing else, she would have given her kidnapper hell before letting him take her. If nothing else, the thought of Brecks kicking some ass was enough to bring a small smile to his face.


	5. Lost & Found

Images of trees and clouds blurred together as Breckin looked upward from the floorboard of her car. Her back was pressed against the backseat door behind the driver's seat, her ankles were duct taped and her wrists bound by her own handcuffs. As far as she knew, her captor had hit her with something very hard and very metal. He had hit her in the head, her forehead maybe? Breckin couldn't remember, it had all happened so fast. The elevator had chimed as it opened on the underground parking, she'd taken one step and then the hit. The blow had hit right above her right eye, cutting her skin open over the eyebrow. The blood had streamed down and was soaking the collar of her shirt, and the swelling put unpleasant pressure against her eye and forehead. Breckin didn't have time to worry about uncomfortable simpletons like swelling right now. She had to figure out a way to escape, or at least leave her team a message of some sort.

Breckin's head pounded mercilessly as her eyes strained to look around. Anything familiar would be a blessing right now, something to let her know where she was. They had been driving for a while by now. She had been unconscious for the most part, the blow to her head really working it's job. Fighting the pounding in her head, Breckin forced her eyes to look upward. Through the rear view mirror, she could see her assailant's eyes. They were the same brown eyes that had haunted her dreams when she was younger. The same eyes that had been watching her for years. And when he noticed her staring at him, a smile curled across his lips, making her queasy.

"You shouldn't have run from me, Brecks," His voice was soft and incredibly smooth for someone under such pressure. Even so, Breckin knew he was only a ticking time bomb. "I thought we were happy, and then you disappear. I couldn't even find you from your parents information."

She couldn't respond, he knew she couldn't so he continued to ramble on. It was true psycho talk, the kind of rabble he used to actually write down in letters. Breckin had heard it all before. His devotions to her, his laundry list of poetry that compared her to beauteous surroundings and moments in time. Line after line of disjointed words, delusional words. Now she was hearing them in person.

"You see what I can do?" He was twisting around in his seat, "You see what I'm capable of, Brecks?" He seemed to have registered her fearful look and the struggle to keep her eyes open. Perhaps realizing he may have struck her just a bit too hard on the head. In a calmer voice, he tried to reassure her, much like a lover after a hurtful fight. "It's okay, I'm not going to keep you. This isn't how I wanted our reunion to go, Breckin, but I had no choice. You moved too suddenly and those poor people had to pay the price. Just like the gentlemen who moved into your old apartment in Texas. They went quicker though, much quicker than these two." He was taunting her, trying to provoke some kind of emotional reaction, but she wasn't going to.

"What are you going to do with me?" her voice cracked slightly in fear. The first time she had actually shown any since moving to Miami. There were few things that actually scared Breckin, but his man was definitely at the top of the list, if not the majority of it.

He laughed. A sickly, deviant laugh that made her skin crawl. Then her heart began to race. What _was_ he going to do with her? How many scenes had she been to where young women had been killed only after being sexually assaulted? How many rape victims came to them to be processed on a monthly basis? Was she going to be the Miami-Dade Crime Lab's next victim? Would the M.E. be cutting into her torso later today? Would her colleagues be perched over her lifeless corpse on the autopsy table while Dr. Tara Price read off her findings? Would they search her home and find out how not serious she really was in life? All these thoughts began to terrify her more than the possibility of death. Growing up so fondly in the public eye seemed to make one more self conscious about the outside world's opinion.

"Don't worry," He spoke quickly and she could feel the car speeding up underneath her. "I'm not going to hurt you that way. I'm not as sick as most of the guys you deal with, and I'm going to prove it to you. But I had to let you know, Brecks. I had to let you know that I found you." Without another word, he turned the radio up, a loud and blasting rock song. The music mixed with the pounding in her head, and Breckin felt the darkness encroaching upon her once again. Her head leaned backwards and her body slumped against the door of the backseat.

- - -

Blood. Why did it always have to be blood? Either a small amount with little to go on, or a death pool like the one they had this morning, blood was always their biggest ticket. Natalia was already grabbing a sample to run through the lab while Calleigh was busy dusting for prints. Ryan and Eric had made their way over to the spot where the car that had abducted Breckin had been parked and were looking around for any viable evidence or clues. If they were dealing with a stalker, especially one as advanced as Breckin had made him out to be, they had precious few hours before he killed Breckin or someone else.

Eric looked upwards at the exit of the parking lot. The concrete that slanted upwards towards the surface was crawling with police and the EMT's who were taking the guard to the hospital. Luckily the suspect didn't have very good aim while in a hurry and managed to wound the man's shoulder. Everything just seemed to be a major mess, and the four CSI's were expected to pull sense from it all. He felt like punching in the window of the car he stood next to as he photographed an oil stain on the ground. It was aggravating. She had warned them, after all, hadn't she? Breckin had told them this guy was out there, and was sickly attached to her and without thinking much of it they had sent her home on her own. It was careless of them, and god only knows what Breckin was thinking of that decision. That was, if she was still alive.

Looking around the parking spot, Eric noticed a bit of silver chain, like a key chain. Photographing it quickly, he bent over and picked it up. There was an emblem on part of the actual key chain that was still attached to the chain portion. Squinting down at it, he called Horatio over to show him. "I'm going to take this upstairs and see if I can't get a match somewhere on our database. Its a company logo, that's for sure, but I don't know which one."

Horatio nodded and spurred him onward, calling after him only to tell him to hurry. He as well as any of his team knew the odds of Breckin still being alive in a few hours. Adult abductions had fewer survival ratings than that of a child because adults are quicker to ID a suspect or talk. They understand the difference between deception and truth, and while most are scared initially, rationality soon takes hold. While the rest of the team collected what little evidence there was, Horatio took out his phone and called Frank, alerting him to the make and model of the car seen speeding away from the lab.

Within the hour, Eric had what he needed while the rest of the team checked DNA and went through fingerprints. Like he had thought, it was a business emblem, but the business was surprising. It belonged to a limo company downtown. The last place any of them would expect a suspect to work. Leaving their evidence behind, all four CSI's and their fearless leader piled into their hummers and headed in the direction of the limo company.

- - -

Darkness. It surrounded her, but her eyes were open. The world began to piece itself together around Breckin as her eyes began to adjust. She'd been taken captive, bound, knocked unconscious and was now probably in the trunk of a car somewhere. Her legs and wrists were still bound, and her head still pounded mercilessly. How long had she been in here? And when would she get out? Better yet, _how_ would she get out?

The thoughts ran through her mind, until she heard the sirens. With as much strength as she could muster, Breckin kicked her bound feet upwards, hitting the side of the car as hard as possible. Hoping for any sound that would alert them to her presence. As luck would have it, Horatio had brought the dogs and soon she heard the gentle clicking of the trunk lock being jammed open. The lid lifted and creaked as it raised, letting the sunlight flow down over her. Slowly, Breckin rolled onto her side, her right eye already completely swollen shut, she peered out at the figures gathered around. Two sets of hands reached into the trunk and helped lift her out while Horatio asked repeatedly if she was alright.

Breckin nodded slowly, "I'm fine..." She lied quickly, and breathed in deeply to try and calm her shaking limbs. Standing up with the help of Ryan and Eric perched on either side of her, she waited while Natalia sliced off the duct tape and Calleigh unlocked the cuffs. When she was free, Breckin shook her arms, willing the blood flow back to them, then she looked from face to face. "Really, guys, I'm fine. Just need some aspirin, and ice for my head."

"Breckin, you were just taken captive by a guy who's been stalking you since you were a child. You can tell us you're scared, we'd all understand," Natalia told her, trying to be as comforting as ever.

"Miss Ashmore, I'm going to have Calleigh and Natalia accompany you to the hospital right now. No arguments. Then I'm placing round the clock surveillance on your home until we get this mess sorted out. I don't want you to worry, alright?" Breckin looked up at Horatio Caine. Her blue eyes searched his until she was certain of his comment. After a moment of this nonverbal affirmation, she allowed herself to be led towards the ambulance and climbed in, followed by Calleigh and Natalia.

"H, why did he go through all the trouble of kidnapping her if he was just going to leave us a major clue and leave her in the trunk of a car we're going to use to catch him with? Why didn't he take her and take off? He left her virtually unharmed and alive to ID him. It doesn't make sense." Ryan was trying to piece together the scenario in his head, but to no avail.

"That, Mr. Wolf, is what we're going to find out."


End file.
